The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Burpping a radiator

I think I have air in my cooling system after I changed the heater hose on my sbc, and I'm not sure how to get it out? Any ideals?Thanks

take a heater hose off at the highest point of the engine and fill until coolant comes out. and then reinstsall the hose and run the truck with the heater on high until the thermostate cycles a few time. that is how i do it. hopfully im right, have had no problems doin it that way

THANKS alot. I'll give it a try.

Park it on the steepest hill, pointing up hill, and run it until the thermostat stays open. Works every time,
Scott

If you drill a small hole in the edge of the thermostat that helps it burp a lot faster. I do that in every thermostat I replace. 1/8" is plenty.

Thanks to everyone for the help. What a GREAT site!

hot rod ...this is the neatest thing i ever seen for radiators ...it is called a spill-less funnel the thing comes with abought every adapter you can imagine ...an you attach it to your fill hole like a radiator cap ...ya then just keep it full of coolant while the vehicle is runnin an it takes out all the air ...an when ya done there is a long plug ya stick down it to close it off an remove it ...dont make a mess an it removes ALL THE AIR !

Prestone makes a bleeder valve that goes into the heater hose that makes it pretty easy too.

I'm with 4 on the floor--a small 1/8-inch hole drilled in the flange of the thermostat is the ticket. Bleeds air out of the engine while you're filling the radiator, and there are no adverse affects.
A friend told me about it before I put in my last t-stat, and I'll do it on every one I ever own from here on out.
-Brad

There is a very simple way to bleed the air out of the straight sixes- remove the tempurature guage sensor from the top of the head, start the engine fill it up with water. Eventually all the air will bleed out of the block and cooling system, then you replace the temperature sensor.

Lots of the newer thermostats come with the small hole metioned in the other post. If you are shopping for a new one, you might keep an eye out for one with the hole.

Tim, ya wouldn't have a picture of that "Spill- less funnel" thingie that you discribed, 1000 words, remember.
I have 7 thermostats here all new for various vehicles and I don't see any with holes drilled in the flange.
I'd be real carful pulling the temperature sender that has the sealed capalary tube. The bulbs are fairly sensitive and the seal is easily broken and then ya got a pain in the arse gettin it fixed or replacing it with a new one.
I'm with Scott on this one, just elevate the front of the truck.
Denny Graham